Best Holiday Shopping Tips: Ask for a Discount

9. Ask for a Discount

The next time you are shopping online, load up your cart, says Robert Pagliarini — but before you check out, look for a “chat” or “live help” button. Click it to open a chat session with a customer service rep. Type that you have a full shopping cart but you are comparison shopping. You’d like to purchase the goods from their company but you want a 15% discount.

Most of the time they’ll initially say they don’t have the authority, but ask them to check with their manager. This doesn’t work all the time, but it will often enough to save you some money.